Work on College Place, near Eastern Michigan University, is scheduled to begin in June.

Work scheduled to finish early September

By David Gomez
Jan. 21, 2010 · 11:50 a.m.

The unevenness in the road is enough to make even the most seasoned seafarer vomit.

That's why the City of Ypsilanti is planning repairs on College Place near the Eastern Michigan University campus in June.

The street’s surface will be totally replaced along with the fire hydrants in the area.

“The project was originally estimated at about $204 (thousand), but with the extra work that EMU wants to include the final estimate is at about $320,000,” Ypsilanti Department of Public Services Director Stan Kirton said.

In addition to the regular road work, a stamped-concrete cross walk will be installed in front of Pease Auditorium. A new cross walk near Cross Street and two near Forrest Ave. will also be installed.

For its part, EMU contributed to the design engineering costs of the project.

Students who frequently drive on the portion of the road near the EMU campus are happy that the high traffic area will be fixed.

“I call it the ‘milkshake maker,’ ” he said. “Just bring some chocolate milk mix, some milk and a jug and drive down College Place.”

The project was originally slated to begin more than five years ago. However, the plan was put on hold when EMU came to the city with the idea of a pedestrian mall where the street is now. When that idea faded, Kirton said College Place fell to the bottom of the city’s Transportation Improvement Program.

In late 2009, Ypsilanti was awarded federal stimulus money through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, and College Place was at the top of the list again.

“Based upon our federal allocations percentage, we had enough to do College Place and another portion of Mansfield Road,” Kirton said.

Costs for Mansfield Rd. – a $550,000 project – are being split with the Washtenaw County Road Commission, which is contracted by Ypsilanti Township. Kirton said the Mansfield improvements include the installation of sidewalks, curbs and gutters, in addition to the new street surface.

Work on College Place is scheduled to begin in June, when spring and summer semesters are in session and traffic is not as heavy. The project is expected to be complete no later than Sept. 8